BOOM OF CANNON, DRUM BEAT ALERT VILLAGERS IN RAMADAN

By P.VIJIAN
BHOPAL, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Muslims in Madhya Pradesh, in central India, continue to preserve a 200-year old tradition unabatedly during Ramadan, observing and breaking fast with a cannon's blast.

For centuries Muslims living in Raisen district, tucked on the outskirts of
the state capital, Bhopal, rely on drumbeats to wake up to begin their sahur,
the pre-dawn meal before the day-long fast while the boom of cannon alerted
them to end their sahur.

And later in the evening, Muslims from about 40 villages break fast after
hearing the second boom of the day from the cannon, located on a hill top.

For Banne khan, 96, a local resident of Raisen, he does not rely on
a watch or a mobile phone but it is the boom from the cannon which tells him
when to begin and break fast.

"I think it's a tradition you could only see in Raisen. I think it is
really helpful for the whole of Raisen city to begin and break fast during
Ramadan," he told Bernama.

The last ruler of Bhopal Nawab Hamidullah Khan's aid-de-camp Major Fazal
Khan adds: "The main aim for doing so was because people at that time did not
have watches or telephones to know the time."

The tradition of cannon fire was started in the early 18th century.
Historically, military canons were used and the head priest or the Shehr Qazi
decides on the time.

However, from 1956, after the transfer of power to the national government,
the district administration took charge.

Now a smaller sonic model cannon is used, which requires nearly 25 kgs of
ammunition and once the holy month of Ramadan is over, the cannon is deposited
to the state treasury.
-- BERNAMA